Die, sorceress, die, and all my wrongs die with thee! [Stabs her. Alexander. [Without.] Away, ye slaves! stand off; Nor Heaven nor earth shall stop me.

Enter ALEXANDER.

Ha! my soul! my queen, my love, Statira!
Are these my promised joys?

Stat. Alas!

My only love, my best and dearest blessing!
'Would I had died before you entered here;
For, thus delighted, while I gaze upon thee,
Death grows more horrid, and I'm loath to leave thee.
Alex. Thou shalt not leave me-Cruel, cruel stars!
Oh, where's the monster, where's the horrid fiend,
That struck at innocence, and murdered thee?

Rox. Behold the wretch who, desperate of thy love, In jealous madness gave the fatal blow!

Alex. To dungeons, tortures, drag her from my sight.

Stat. My soul is on the wing: oh come, my lord, Haste to my arms, and take a last farewell. Thus let me die.

Alex. Look up, my love.

Oh Heaven! and will you, will you, take her from me! Stat. Farewell, my most loved lord: ah me! farewell!

Yet ere I die grant this request. Spare

Roxana's life-Twas love of you that caused

The death she gave me. And oh! sometimes think,
Amidst your revels, think on your poor queen:
And ere the cheerful bowl salutes your lips,
Enrich it with a tear, and I am happy.

[Dies.

Alex. All, all is hushed, no music now is heard;

The roses wither, and the fragrant breath

That waked their sweets, shall never wake them more! Rox. Weep not, my lord! no sorrow can recall her.

F

Oh turn your eyes, and in Roxana's arms,
You'll find fond love and everlasting truth.

Alex. Hence from my sight, and thank my dear
Statira

That yet thou art alive.

Rox. In spite of all your cruelty I love you;
Yes, thus I'll fasten on your sacred robe,
Thus on my knees for ever cling around thee,
Till you forgive me, or till death divide us.

Alex. Hence, fury, hence: there's not a glance of thine

But like a basilisk comes winged with death.

Rox. Oh speak not thus to one who kneels for mercy!

Think for whose sake it was I madly plunged
Into a crime abhorrent to my nature.

Alex. Oh, murderess, off! for ever shun my sight; My eyes detest thee, for thy soul is ruin.

Rox. Barbarian! yes, I will for ever shun thee.
Repeated injuries have steeled my heart,
And I could curse myself for being kind.
If there is any majesty above,

That has revenge in store for perjured love,
Send, Heaven, the swiftest ruin on his head;
Strike the destroyer! lay the victor dead!
Kill the

-

But what are curses? curses will not kill,
Nor ease the tortures I am doomed to feel!

Alex. Oh, my fair star, I shall be shortly with thee!
What means this deadly dew upon my forehead ?
My heart too heaves--

Cas. The poison works.

Enter EUMENES.

Eum. Pardon, dread sir, a fatal messenger:
The royal Sysigambis is no more.

Struck with the horror of Statira's fate,
She soon expired, and with her latest breath